Simulator for skill-oriented training

A simulator for skill-oriented training of a task, the simulator comprising:

• a work piece platform having at least one platform sensor;
• a head-mounted display unit (HMDU) wearable by an operator operating the simulator, the HMDU having at least one camera, at least one speaker and at least one HMDU sensor, the at least one camera and the at least one speaker providing visual and audio output to the operator, including displaying a work piece rendered on the workpiece platform;
• a controller operable by the operator, the controller having at least one controller sensor, the at least one controller sensor, the at least one HMDU sensor, and the at least one platform sensor, each cooperating to measure and to output one or more signals representing spatial positioning data, angular orientation data and movement data of the controller relative to the work piece rendered on the work piece platform during the operator's performance of one or more passes of a coating spray process of particles;
• a data processing system coupled to the work piece platform, the HMDU, and the controller, the data processing system including a processor and memory operatively coupled to the processor with a plurality of executable algorithms stored therein, the processor configured, by the executable algorithms, to:
• determine coordinates of the controller in relation to the work piece rendered on the work piece platform during the performance of the one or more passes of the coating spray process of particles based on at least one of the spatial positioning data, the angular orientation data, and the movement data of the controller in relation to the work piece rendered on the work piece platform as provided by the one or more signals from the at least one controller sensor, the at least one HMDU sensor and the at least one platform sensor;
• model the coating spray process of particles to determine a spray coating stream, particles of the spray coating stream, a unique path of travel of each of the particles of the spray coating stream from emission from the controller toward the work piece, and a coating coverage by the particles as the particles break up due to collision with the work piece and are applied on the work piece based on the coordinates of the controller in relation to the work piece rendered on the work piece platform;
• render the spray coating stream, the particles of the spray coating stream, the unique path of travel of each of the particles, the applied coating coverage, and sensory guidance as to the performance of the coating spray process by the operator in a three-dimensional virtual training environment, in response to the modeled coating spray process of particles;
• and
• simulate in real-time the three-dimensional virtual training environment depicting the rendered work piece on the work piece platform, the rendered spray coating stream depicting the particles emitted from the controller along respective unique paths of travel, the rendered coating coverage depicting the applied coating coverage as the spray coating stream and the particles thereof are applied to the work piece during the performance of the one or more passes of the coating spray process performed by the operator in the training environment, and the rendered sensory guidance;
• and
• wherein the rendered spray coating stream, the rendered particles, the rendered unique path of travel of each of the particles of the spray coating stream, the rendered applied coating coverage, and the rendered sensory guidance are exhibited in near real-time to the operator within the training environment to provide indications of the performance by the operator operating the controller relative to the work piece rendered on the work piece platform.